Louisville Restaurant News | St. Charles Exchange to cook 'Kentucky Spirit' meal at James Beard House

St. Charles Exchange

Executive chef Patrick McCandless and beverage director Colin Shearn of St. Charles Exchange, (113 S. Seventh St., will host a dinner at the James Beard House in New York City Feb. 27. It's their debut at the culinary showcase, where they will serve food and spirits inspired by and sourced in Kentucky.

Shearn, one of the "Imbibe 75" list of top bartenders in the country, managed to persuade the organizers to incorporate several cocktails into the dinner, though the dinners are typically more wine-centric. "I wrote a whole menu with cocktail pairings for every course, and I got some pushback," says Shearn. "They wanted only one cocktail. I said, 'The reason I've been asked to do this is I'm a cocktail guy.' We managed to work out a deal - four wines and three cocktails."

The "Kentucky Spirit" menu begins with "Hot Brown" deviled eggs and other starters, served with New Day Rising (bourbon with cointreau, blanc vermouth and bitters); and Rant In 'Em (bourbon, rum, apple, thistle, peach, Swedish Punsch and gentian). Southern crawfish ragout follows with a chenin blanc.

A chestnut trio of creamy spaetzle, brittle and veloute is paired with a chardonnay in the second course. Pan-seared Scottish salmon with maple Bourbon Barrel Foods soy glaze is up next, served with a Born Fighter (bourbon with Amontillado sherry, Pineau Des Charentes and artichoke). The fourth course will be Kentucky Bison strip loins paired with a zinfadel.

The most delicious cocktail of the menu, Shearn says, is The Blueprint served with the Buffalo Trace bread pudding for dessert. The cocktail is a twist on the Old Fashioned - Shearn replaced the whiskey with Byrrh, a fortified wine from France flavored with quinine.

Shearn says it's likely the dinner will be re-created at St. Charles Exchange next month, "if someone wanted to re-create the experience without the airfare." And, he says, if folks want to order the special cocktails, "I don't see why not!"